Comments on: Remembering the Train (to the Bus) to the Plane http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/11/25/remember-the-train-to-the-bus-to-the-plane/ A New York City Subway Blog Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:51:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: For convention center, Genting may fund ‘Train to the Plane’ :: Second Ave. Sagas http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/11/25/remember-the-train-to-the-bus-to-the-plane/#comment-239017 For convention center, Genting may fund ‘Train to the Plane’ :: Second Ave. Sagas Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:30:56 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4363#comment-239017 [...] television ditty from the early 1980s. “Take the train, take the train to the plane,” went the jingle. It was an advertisement for a supposedly super-fast airport subway service that ran express on the [...] [...] television ditty from the early 1980s. “Take the train, take the train to the plane,” went the jingle. It was an advertisement for a supposedly super-fast airport subway service that ran express on the [...]

]]> By: Benjamin Kabak http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/11/25/remember-the-train-to-the-bus-to-the-plane/#comment-67313 Benjamin Kabak Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:43:15 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4363#comment-67313 My mom, who remembers riding this train, couldn't tell me. I wondered the same thing. I think the answer has to do with some unused center tracks along the A line after Euclid Ave. and a switch prior to the Aqueduct stop. My mom, who remembers riding this train, couldn’t tell me. I wondered the same thing.

I think the answer has to do with some unused center tracks along the A line after Euclid Ave. and a switch prior to the Aqueduct stop.

]]> By: bklynbpr http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/11/25/remember-the-train-to-the-bus-to-the-plane/#comment-67312 bklynbpr Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:42:18 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4363#comment-67312 can someone explain to me how the 'express' train didn't immediately catch up with regular service A trains and have to piggy-back them the entire way? i've never understood how this would be a seamless, ultra-fast option since it was forced to share the tracks with regular-stop express trains. can someone explain to me how the ‘express’ train didn’t immediately catch up with regular service A trains and have to piggy-back them the entire way?

i’ve never understood how this would be a seamless, ultra-fast option since it was forced to share the tracks with regular-stop express trains.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/11/25/remember-the-train-to-the-bus-to-the-plane/#comment-67249 Alon Levy Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:51:48 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4363#comment-67249 Forest Hills is on the Main Line. If you look at the density of the neighborhoods along the Rockaway Cutoff, it's not very high, and the major intersections are industrial rather than commercial. You can see the land use maps for Queens <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/lucds/qn9profile.pdf" rel="nofollow">CB 9</a> and <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/lucds/qn6profile.pdf" rel="nofollow">CB 6</a> - the multifamily housing and commercial development are all near QB and the Main Line. And it's not just about reverse commuting. Queens in principle has an express rapid transit line from Jamaica to Penn Station. In practice, this rapid transit line has a schedule and fare structure that make it useless to most people who live west of Jamaica. Forest Hills is on the Main Line. If you look at the density of the neighborhoods along the Rockaway Cutoff, it’s not very high, and the major intersections are industrial rather than commercial. You can see the land use maps for Queens CB 9 and CB 6 – the multifamily housing and commercial development are all near QB and the Main Line.

And it’s not just about reverse commuting. Queens in principle has an express rapid transit line from Jamaica to Penn Station. In practice, this rapid transit line has a schedule and fare structure that make it useless to most people who live west of Jamaica.

]]> By: SEAN http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/11/25/remember-the-train-to-the-bus-to-the-plane/#comment-67243 SEAN Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:54:52 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4363#comment-67243 Alon Levy says: November 26, 2009 Part of the problem is that the LIRR isn’t designed with Queens commuters in mind: it has low frequency, high fares, and no good transfers except at Jamaica and Penn Station. In addition, the areas near the line are not very dense, and have limited commercial development at potential station sites. The most natural station site, Atlantic for a transfer to the Atlantic Branch, is entirely industrial and would generate no traffic of its own. Forest Hills isn't dence? Go over to Austin Street & Contenental Avenue or travel just south of the Forest hills station into the Gardens subdivision & tell me again that areas along the LIRR aren't dencely populated. Same for Kew Gardens & Woodside. Although the frequency & fares do leave a lot to be desired. The LIRR wasn't designed for reverse commuters unlike MNR wich have Stamford, White Plains & to a lesser degree Bridgeport with dence downtown cores of office towers & residential buildings. Alon Levy says:
November 26, 2009

Part of the problem is that the LIRR isn’t designed with Queens commuters in mind: it has low frequency, high fares, and no good transfers except at Jamaica and Penn Station. In addition, the areas near the line are not very dense, and have limited commercial development at potential station sites. The most natural station site, Atlantic for a transfer to the Atlantic Branch, is entirely industrial and would generate no traffic of its own.

Forest Hills isn’t dence? Go over to Austin Street & Contenental Avenue or travel just south of the Forest hills station into the Gardens subdivision & tell me again that areas along the LIRR aren’t dencely populated. Same for Kew Gardens & Woodside. Although the frequency & fares do leave a lot to be desired.

The LIRR wasn’t designed for reverse commuters unlike MNR wich have Stamford, White Plains & to a lesser degree Bridgeport with dence downtown cores of office towers & residential buildings.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/11/25/remember-the-train-to-the-bus-to-the-plane/#comment-67236 Alon Levy Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:35:35 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4363#comment-67236 The LIRR used to run round-robins on what are now the Far Rockaway and Rockaway Park branches of the A and what is still the Far Rockaway branch of the LIRR. The LIRR used to run round-robins on what are now the Far Rockaway and Rockaway Park branches of the A and what is still the Far Rockaway branch of the LIRR.

]]> By: KB http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/11/25/remember-the-train-to-the-bus-to-the-plane/#comment-67232 KB Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:17:13 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4363#comment-67232 The E -> AirTrain option isn't bad either. The E runs a pretty mean express in Queens especially weekdays before 7:30pm when it bypasses two additional stations. The E -> AirTrain option isn’t bad either. The E runs a pretty mean express in Queens especially weekdays before 7:30pm when it bypasses two additional stations.

]]> By: AlexB http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/11/25/remember-the-train-to-the-bus-to-the-plane/#comment-67228 AlexB Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:17:49 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4363#comment-67228 What's the double loop configuration? What’s the double loop configuration?

]]> By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/11/25/remember-the-train-to-the-bus-to-the-plane/#comment-67224 Alon Levy Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:36:24 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4363#comment-67224 One of the reasons the LIRR abandoned the double loop is that double loops are an operational nightmare, and have been ever since the BMT tried to run loops through Lower Manhattan. The old ROW from the Main Line to the Rockaways would have pitiful ridership, too low to justify the electrification. Part of the problem is that the LIRR isn't designed with Queens commuters in mind: it has low frequency, high fares, and no good transfers except at Jamaica and Penn Station. In addition, the areas near the line are not very dense, and have limited commercial development at potential station sites. The most natural station site, Atlantic for a transfer to the Atlantic Branch, is entirely industrial and would generate no traffic of its own. One of the reasons the LIRR abandoned the double loop is that double loops are an operational nightmare, and have been ever since the BMT tried to run loops through Lower Manhattan.

The old ROW from the Main Line to the Rockaways would have pitiful ridership, too low to justify the electrification. Part of the problem is that the LIRR isn’t designed with Queens commuters in mind: it has low frequency, high fares, and no good transfers except at Jamaica and Penn Station. In addition, the areas near the line are not very dense, and have limited commercial development at potential station sites. The most natural station site, Atlantic for a transfer to the Atlantic Branch, is entirely industrial and would generate no traffic of its own.

]]> By: john http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/11/25/remember-the-train-to-the-bus-to-the-plane/#comment-67221 john Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:57:00 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4363#comment-67221 A -> Howard Beach -> Airtrain is really a pretty good way to get to the airport, considering the expense of offering additional service past that point. I can't see why it's worth any more investment than that. If I was really in a hurry I'd take LIRR -> Jamaica. A -> Howard Beach -> Airtrain is really a pretty good way to get to the airport, considering the expense of offering additional service past that point. I can’t see why it’s worth any more investment than that. If I was really in a hurry I’d take LIRR -> Jamaica.

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